My Poem ‘Grandma’ was published in the SpeedPoets Zine Vol 13.6

 

Grandma

Pawpaw tree out the front

and mango tree out the back,

we drove to your home on the coast.

 

On my last visit I found out you spoke

up to eight different languages:

English, French, Hungarian,

and a smattering of Italian, Russian,

Polish and Yiddish.

You told me you could swear in Arabic.

 

Your family was Hungarian.

You were born in Egypt

and lived there until you were 11.

Your family was expelled

and you fled to Italy for 6-months

in a refugee camp, trading bread to survive,

before moving to Australia.

 

You met your husband

when you were 15 and a half,

became engaged at 17,

had my father at 19.

 

If someone was unwell

you recommended drinking

mulled wine with cloves

and you passed me an orange.

‘Here darlink,’ you said.

‘Take it.’